Did you know that if you work as a physical therapist (PT), you have the opportunity to earn money while traveling for work? In fact, physical therapists’ assistants (PTA), occupational therapists (OT), and occupational therapists’ assistants (OTA) may all earn money while they travel.
You may be familiar with the term “travel therapy” (sometimes known as “travel nursing”), but you may not fully grasp what it entails or how it works. Travel physical therapy (also known as “Travel PT“) and other travel therapy occupations are becoming more popular. This is happening for a good reason since this line of work is really rather easy to enter and may be quite rewarding.
Continue reading if you are interested in gaining more information about travel physical therapy, how much do travel physical therapists make, as well as how you may get started in the field.
How to Start a Career in Travel Physical Therapy?
Travel therapy is something that many people who work in the medical field decide to undertake. Getting started is not that difficult at all. Many times, the most difficult thing is just deciding to go for it and then taking the first few steps once that choice has been made.
1. Make Sure You Have Enough Experience
There is no hard and fast rule that dictates how much experience one must have for travel physical therapy. It is entirely dependent on how you feel as a clinician.
If you’re like, “Hey. I’m good to go. I have a strong sense of self-assurance, and I am a fast learner who does not hesitate to seek clarification when necessary. “…then by all means, go for it!
If you find yourself thinking, “I’d feel better having some job experience under my belt first,” then you should most definitely go ahead and do that!
Check-in with yourself and determine what it is that you are comfortable with; nevertheless, keep in mind that you will be expected to be clinically competent.
2. Make Sure You Fully Educate Yourself
At this point, some degree of self-education is going to be necessary! You should educate yourself on taxes, the current situation of the travel business, and topics like tax residences and the amount of money you may anticipate making in a variety of work environments and settings.
3. Understand Licensure Requirements
To be able to work in each state, you need to get a separate license (the requirements vary). The good news is that physical therapists (PTs) now have the option of obtaining a compact license. This implies that you must acquire a PT compact privilege in order for participating states to acknowledge your eligibility to work in their jurisdictions.
You won’t have to go through the trouble of being licensed in each separate state because of this. Once you have the PT compact and are already licensed in your home state, all you have to do is pay a fee for each additional state, take the jurisprudence exam (if it’s required), and then you can begin practicing in that other compact state!
4. Work Strategically With The Best Recruiters/Companies!
It is very necessary for your success as a travel therapist to work with at least two or three different recruiters or companies.
To begin, one of the first things that you need to understand is that not all travel companies have access to the same kinds of employment. If you just work for one company, the opportunities available to you may be quite restricted.
Second of all, you will want to have some choices. Options such as working in various places, receiving different compensation packages, and participating in all kinds of experiences in terms of the advantages, resources, and so on that a firm may provide!
If you restrict your search to just one employer and one recruiter, you won’t be able to view all of the opportunities that may be open to you.
Benefits of Travel Physical Therapy
1. Travel Physical Therapy Salary
How much do travel physical therapists make? The pay is one of the most attractive features of working as a travel PT. In most cases, travel therapists make more money than regular employees, and this is due, in large part, to the tax-free money alternatives available to them.
The point is, in order to guarantee that you are receiving a decent rate, you need to have a lot of faith in your recruiter and be aware of the many intricacies of compensation.
Travel physical therapists earn a lot. The estimated annual salary for a travel PT is $94,583. Depending on where you go and what sorts of circumstances you’re in, you may earn more than that.
2. Living Locally And Having Adventures On Your Days Off
When you’re on a trip for work, you get to live like a local, which is a major advantage of the job. You may go to local festivals, eat at the finest restaurant in town, or just find swimming holes and uncrowded hiking paths that only the locals are familiar with.
3. It Polishes You
The field of travel physical therapy offers a wealth of chances for professionals interested in advancing their careers and personal lives. You will continuously learn about new therapeutic systems, new ways of living, as well as what you enjoy and don’t like about yourself and others.
You should become used to having your abilities tested often. You will emerge from it a more resilient and flexible individual.
4. No Office Politics
Due to the nature of a short-term contract, there is not enough time for you to get involved in any workplace drama. You may, instead, be the amazing traveler who does not get mired down in the drama that the permanent personnel may be involved in.
The Bottom Line
When you travel, you get to observe a wide variety of the varied approaches that doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals use to treat patients in different parts of the nation. You will almost certainly improve as a clinician. You will get more and more knowledge as you go through the various travel therapy jobs. Whether you work in an outpatient clinic, a hospital, a skilled nursing facility, or any other variety of health settings, you will most certainly learn and improve your skills.
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